Winter Fancy Food Show 

Interesting highlights taken from the Winter Fancy Food show in San Francisco include:

• Spirits licensing continued with a strong showing with the SOUTHERN COMFORT line of coffees & teas from First Colony as well as the SOUTHERN COMFORT Praline Pecans from Indianola Pecan House. Barhyte Specialty Foods was featuring their spirits licensed line of sauces, marinades, mustards and dressings. Marzetti also introduced the newest flavor into its line of JACK DANIELS Mustards and Vita Foods continues with their Jim Beam sauce line.
  

• Metromint, from Soma Beverage Company, LLC., is a refreshing combination of pesticide free mint and pure filtered water, with no sweeteners or calories and a surprisingly refreshing taste. Its launch in 2004 created a new beverage category called mintwater, and from the buzz at the show it’s catching on.

• Celebrity chefs also remained strong with showings from Emeril, Paul Prudhomme and Seattle Kitchen’s Tom Douglas.

• Most unusual product: The most unusual licensed product we sampled was the new Dr. Pepper Jerky by Texas Elk Company.

Other Comments

• Growth of organic business – The Organic Trade Association is finally getting the recognition it deserves for the breakneck pace of growth in the category. The house was packed for the “Get Organic” educational seminar featuring the organizations Executive Director Katherine DiMatteo. Since 1998 product introductions in this category have more than doubled. Organics make up 25% of the growth in main-stream grocery channels, second only to growth in ethnic foods